Supporting Military Families
Operation Shower
Operation Shower hosts joyful baby showers for military wives to ease the stress of their husbands’ deployment. In addition to being separated from their spouses, these moms-to-be are often far away from friends and family. The organization ensures these women receive some of the basic essentials they need for their newborns. Operation Shower began with a simple act of kindness when LeAnn Morrissey sent a “shower in a box” to a few expectant wives whose husbands were deployed. The overwhelming thanks she received encouraged her to do more. After LeAnn organized her first large-scale shower at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in June 2007, Operation Shower was officially born. Since then, the organization has showered more than 700 military moms through hard work and generous donations. Showers are held on bases across the country for all branches of the armed forces – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard.
Babies“R”Us has partnered with Operation Shower to co-host baby shower events for military families nationwide. Through a donation of Babies“R”Us gift cards, moms-to-be will be able to shop for items they need most. Additionally, the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund has donated $100,000 to Operation Shower so they may purchase gifts for these moms, as well as to help host festive occasions to celebrate their new arrivals.
Our Military Kids
Our Military Kids provides grants to the children of National Guard and Military Reserve personnel who are currently deployed overseas, as well as the children of Wounded Warriors in all branches. The grants help pay for participation in activities such as sports, fine arts, camps and tutoring programs that nurture and sustain children while a parent is away in service to our country or recovering from injury. As part of a targeted grant initiative, the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund awarded Our Military Kids $20,000 to help enrich the lives of military children based in New Jersey.
Home Front Hearts
Toys“R”Us, Inc. regularly provides product donations to help children and families in need. During the 2011 holiday season, the company partnered with Home Front Hearts, an organization that supports New Jersey military families. Employee volunteers at the company headquarters in Wayne, NJ hosted a special “stuff-the-truck” event, working together to pack 650 toys into a military vehicle to spread Christmas cheer to children of military families at various holiday parties.
U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program
For more than 60 years, the mission of the annual Toys for Tots program has been to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate kids that will help them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. As the largest retail partner in the history of Toys for Tots, Toys“R”Us has helped this iconic charity raise over $27.6 million and collect more than 3.4 million toys since the partnership began in 2004. Together, Toys“R”Us and Toys for Tots help play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children.